I am going to throw myself a new kind of birthday party this year. Will you join me? 

I am turning 81. So, what would an 81-year old woman want for her birthday? I want community, I want friendship, and I want to ensure Mother Earth has lots more birthdays.

My plan, and I encourage you to do the same for your birthday or a special occasion, is to invite friends, neighbors, and other party-goers to join me in a community clean-up. I don’t think it will be hard to arrange. The gathering should be fun, inexpensive, and trash-light. No plastic plates, forks/spoons, cups, napkins to feed the landfill. No gifts needed. Needed only is a sense of adventure, humor, and time.

I have contacted the local community non-profit group that organizes cleanups at our prized lake in my hometown, Oakland, California, to arrange for a time when guests can gather and participate in trash cleanup around the lake. Maybe, we can borrow some long-poled skimmer nets to remove floating garbage. Of course, rubber boots would be a plus to those poling for trash such as plastic wrappers, cups, bottles, etc.

We needn’t be there more than an hour or two. You won’t need a new outfit or hair style. We can all bring our own beverages and snacks to share. I might even bake a cake. If I do, I will ask guests to bring their own re-usable plates and utensils.

So, you might ask, what’s the point? The trash will be back again next week. That is probably true but think of the fun we will have in improving the lake’s health along with the lives of the birds (pelicans, egrets, herons, ducks, geese, and so on) who count on the lake’s eco-system. And then, there’s the downstream health of the bay and ocean into which the lake’s water spills. Also, think of the calories you’ll burn.

So, what? You might ask again. What does one cleanup do? Ahhh! We can come back from time to time to do it again. We can talk to those walking around the lake about other ways to respect the lake, and perhaps cleanup other areas. We can talk to others about additional eco-ways to celebrate their special occasions. And we can begin to build a community of people willing to do something concrete to protect Mother Earth. 

Do you wonder what you have in common with others at a party? Do you find it hard to meet people for the first time? Do you wonder how to keep in contact with someone you meet and like? Bingo! A cleanup provides a non-awkward shared experience for making new friends. 

If you cannot join me for my birthday eco-celebration, plan one of your own or throw a surprise eco-celebration for your friends. Keep track of who participates, keep in touch, and build towards a community of folks committed to making sustainable change. Organizing is a step-by-step process. This is step one.  

Eleanor Levine is part of our Writing Nonviolence Affinity Group. Check it out here and learn more about the Campaign Nonviolence Affinity Groups.